Taiwan defence ministry says China unable to invade, but has other options

China lacks the ability to "fully" invade Taiwan, as it does not have the equipment, but it is bringing online advanced new weapons and has other options to threaten Taiwan, such as inspecting foreign cargo ships, the island's defence ministry said.

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China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military and political pressure over the past five years to assert its claims, which Taipei strongly rejects.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

The government of the defeated Republic of China fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, and no peace treaty or armistice has ever been signed.

In an annual threat assessment of China sent to lawmakers on Aug 30, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, Taiwan's defence ministry said Beijing continues to hone skills such as joint command operations.